[Abscess of the skull base--therapy and reconstruction after zygoma resection]

Abscesses of the base of skull, if not correctly managed, can lead to the intracranial spread of infection - a life-threatening complication. Infection can spread from the upper and lower molar teeth through the retromaxillary area or the parapharyngeal space to reach the temporal, infratemporal or pterygopalatine fossa. Our recommended treatment of abscesses in these fossae is wide abscess incision together with resection of the midsection of the zygomatic arch ("Partsch method"). Two case reports are included. The first report is of a patient with cerebral abscess caused by an oral infection. The second report is of a case in which zygomatic arch reconstruction was necessary after its partial resection for abscess treatment. A new alloplastic bone-substitute material made from coral was used in the reconstruction.